


A Reason to Stay

by blueboxesandtrafficcones



Series: Fic Prompts - Broadchurch [5]
Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Baby Fic, F/M, Introspection, New Family, non-sexual nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:55:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22356013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueboxesandtrafficcones/pseuds/blueboxesandtrafficcones
Summary: For the first time in his life, Hardy doesn't want to go to work - this time, he's going to get it right.For the first time, Ellie doesn't argue with his life choices.
Relationships: Alec Hardy/Ellie Miller
Series: Fic Prompts - Broadchurch [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/970344
Comments: 10
Kudos: 82





	A Reason to Stay

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Alec’s hand snapped out, silencing the alarm on instinct before his eyes even opened. Moaning softly he eased into a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes. For the first time in possibly his entire life, or at least semi-recent memory, he didn’t want to go to work. Yawning deeply, he blindly shuffled his way to the en suite anyway.

Barely remembering to the turn out the light before he opened the door, he crept out into the bedroom with just a towel wrapped around his hips, running his fingers through the damp strands of his hair. It was too long, in desperate need of a cut, but such things were low on his priority list at the best of times. Carefully opening his bureau drawer, he winced as it scraped loudly.

”Shit.”

“Come back to bed,” Ellie whispered in the dark, and he obeyed willingly enough; after all, it was exactly where he wanted to be. Dropping his towel at the side of the bed he crawled in naked, pressing himself against her side.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” he murmured, worming his arms around her waist and holding her to his chest, supporting her arms.

Ellie shook her head, careful not to jostle herself or the bundle she held. “No, she did.”

It was hard to see in the darkness, but he could just make out the dark shock of hair nestled against her breast, the tiny perfect face. Eyes closed as she nursed greedily, three-week-old Alanna was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, rivaled only by her big sister at the same age.

“D’you need anything?” His arms tightened around her, supporting Ellie’s as she held the baby. “Your pillow?”

“No, I’m fine. Just- don’t move. Stay. Please?” Her head leaned back against his shoulder, eyes fluttering closed as she relaxed against him.

Shifting slightly to better angle his back against the headboard, he waited until she transferred the baby to her other side to reach for his mobile.

“What’re you doing?”

“Shh,” he murmured, kissing her forehead as he scrolled through his contacts, initiating the call. “Ma’am? Yeah. Yes. Thank you.” Pausing to take another picture of the loves of his life currently in his arms, he set the phone back on the nightstand, face down.

“Well?”

“I’m taking another week.”

Ellie’s face relaxed into a smile, head turning to press a kiss to his neck. “Thank you.”

“Mhmm.” He freed one hand to trace his pointer finger gently over the baby’s cheek, reveling in the soft skin and sleepy sighs she gave as the need for sleep won out over her need for food. “I didn’t do it right.”

“What?”

“Before.” He found his daughter’s tiny hand, heart squeezing with love as she held loosely to his finger. “With Daisy. We were too obsessed with work and promotions and all that horseshit, rather than trying to be a team at home. We- I didn’t make her my priority as I should have. Tess… she and Daisy… we were close, when she was little, but she was her Mum’s, and I was off to the side, a lot. So I worked, bringing home enough salary to keep her in everything she could want. I loved her of course, with everything I was, I just… I didn’t show it well.”

“I know,” Ellie whispered, tilting her head into his neck. “I know how much you love her, and so does she.”

“My point is, I can’t go back and redo it with Daisy, but I can do better this time. I promise you.” His arms tightened around them, holding them close. From the moment they found out she was pregnant he’d worried about failing again. He always started his second chance with the best of intentions, but given how Daisy’s first few months in Broadchurch had gone he didn’t have much confidence.

Ellie laughed softly, bumping his chin with the side of her head. “I _know_. We’re partners. We’ll get through it together. I won’t let you go off the rails as long as you don’t let _me_.”

“Deal.” They watched the baby sleep, and despite knowing logically they should put her down and get more rest themselves, neither could tear themselves away. “El?”

“Yeah?”

“Have we already had this conversation?”

She tensed for a moment before deliberately relaxing. “Quite possibly. _God_ I’m exhausted.”

“Here.” It nearly killed him to pull away, but he eased the baby out of her arms and settled her into the cot on Ellie’s side of the bed before climbing back in, burrowing down and pulling her with him. “Get some sleep.”

“No, I wanna watch her,” Ellie whined, eyes fluttering shut.

“Shhh.” He snuggled her close, fitting himself along her back so they could both stare at the bassinette. “I love you.”

“Love you too. Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for staying.”

Alec leveraged himself up and over to kiss her mouth. “Thank you for giving me a reason to.”


End file.
